It comes from the French word for heart And from now on, your heart will be bound not only to your mate, but also to the child your love has created.

It took courage for you to decide to bring a child into this confounding world. It took courage to choose pregnancy. It took courage for you to bring your pregnancy this far. Your heart beats now and passes that courage on to your child.

Your journey from here until your baby's entry into this world will take more courage than you may think you have. But I promise you that courage springs from your beating heart. Know it is there, waiting for you to summon it.

You are on the threshold of the greatest mystery of life, that edge between the other world and this one. You will never be so close to the edge as you are at the moment you give birth. Have courage and drink in the power of this great mystery.

When you labor, open your heart.

When you bring forth, open your heart.

As your child grows, open your heart.

When your child gives you grief, open your heart.

When this child grows to adulthood and leaves your home for another, open your heart.

For it is when we open our hearts that we have the greatest capacity for the courage to be human, to be women and to touch the goddess.

Blessings upon you

copyright 2002 Deborah Hudson

every woman can be the best they can. I'm hoping, through these images, that woman will be empowered to make thier own choices.